A FORMER Western Telegraph reporter has spoken of her delight to receive a British Empire Medal in the New year's Honours for services to people with Cystic Fibrosis (CF).

Sybil Edwards, aged 90, first became aware of CF through her work on the WT.

Writing articles on a local family with experience of CF sparked Sybil's interest and with two others she founded in 1978 the Pembrokeshire branch of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. CF Pembroke, the oldest branch in Wales, has since raised over £140,000.

In 2018, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the branch she decided to launch a special year of fundraising, supported by the WT, with an additional £23,000 raised.

Through her work local services for CF patients have improved and a CF Clinic was set up in Withybush Hospital.

Sybil plans the fundraising and takes part, which has included abseiling down Haverfordwest castle, a trek up Snowdon and walking the length and breadth of Pembrokeshire.

Sybil is also often the first port of call for the families in difficulties and in grief, she always has time to listen and help.

Sybil said: "It's a great honour to receive such recognition and I am very proud to be awarded the BEM.

"I see it as an honour not so much to myself but also to the many thousands of people who support the Cystic Fibrosis Trust throughout Pembrokeshire, Wales and the rest of the UK.

"These are the members of the public who give so generously and the volunteers who give their time for free, contributing to our extraordinary fundraising effort and raising public awareness as we drive toward the Holy Grail - a cure for CF

"Most of all though I see this award as a tribute to the incredible courage of the CF families, who do so much to support their loved ones, give them a normal life and help us maintain the fight to keep CF at the forefront of public awareness.

"I believe that if you have a talent you should use it. I used my particular talent, including my writing abilities as a journalist, to raise awareness, galvanise and encourage the fundraising effort and give the CF families the support they deserve.

"I'm incredibly proud of the achievements of our Pembrokeshire Branch, which has now been active for a memorable 40 years. I like to feel that I stood beside our CF families as they faced the scary unknown that was CF in the earlier years and I now look forward to seeing Pembrokeshire continuing to play a significant part in the CF fundraising and awareness campaign in west Wales in the future."

See cysticfibrosis.org.uk for more information on the charity.